Speed governor



Sept. 8, 1942. .1. M. wEYDELL 2,295,147

SPEED GOVERNOR kFiled Jan.A l2, 1939' 2 Sheets-Sheet l y y INVENTOR. 1 .f1/QL M. YDEL L, l? 7 69 Ja BY ATTO RNEYS.

Sept. 8, 1942. J. M. wEYDELL SPEED GOVERNOR Filed Jan. 12, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. ./PA /W. rofl. 1., BY Z .y

ATTORNEYS.

.which the governor permits.

Patented Sept. 8, 1942 SPEED GOVERNOR Jarl M. Weydell, Indianapolis, Ind., assigner of one-hall.' to Edward E. Stout, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application January l2, 19,39, Serial No. 250,509

i 1o claims. (C1. 137-140) My invention relates to speed governors for throttle-controlled engines such, for example, as internal combustion engines. It is the object of my invention to produce a speed governor which will be sensitive -to slight speed variations and which, therefore, will control speed with great accuracy. A further object of my invention is to produce a governor which will perform its governing action gradually so as not to interfere with operation of the engine at the maximum speed Still another object of my invention is to produce a governor 'which can readily be incorporated in an automobile.

The precise form taken by my invention will depend to ari-extent upon the situation in which it is to be used. Some phases of the invention relate to means for controlling a throttle both manually and by speed-responsive mechanism; but in certain of its broader aspects the invention is not llimited to situations where a single throttle is both manually and automatically controlled and even includes arrangements where no manual control of any kind is imposed on the speed of the engine. v

In carrying out my invention in its preferred form automatic control of the engine-throttle is .exercised through the medium of a duid-pressure motor which moves the throttle in one direction against the action of a springv or other yielding means capable 4of moving the throttle in the other direction when the fluid-.pressure motor is inoperative. The operation of the fluid-pressure motor is controlled by mechanism which is responsive to the speed of the engine and which acts, as the limiting speed of the engine is approached, to render the duid-pressure motor alternately operative and inoperative and to control the relative durations of periods of operativeness and inoperativeness. Each individual period of operativeness or of inoperativeness, until the limiting speed is actually reached, is insuil'lcient in duration to move the throttle through a material fraction of its entire range of movement; and, as a result, control of the throttle is gradually imposed.

Where manual and automatic control are imposed on the same throttle, I control that throtyto the speed-responsive device, and to the manually operated member respectively; and I make the latter connection of the lost-motion variety so that the speed-responsive mechanism can operate to close the throttle Without compelling movement of the manually operated member. In the speciiicembodiment of the invention herein described, where my invention is used to control the speed of an internal-combustion engine, automatic throttle-control is exercised by a uidpressure motor controlled as above described and comprising a pressure-responsive element adapted to be partially exhausted by connection to the intake manifold under the control of a speedresponsive device.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 1 is a fragmental view of an automobile showing my speed-governor in association with the engine; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the governor on an enlarged scale showing the condition existing when the speedresponsive mechanism is inoperative; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the speed responsive mechanism operating to effect a partial closing of the throttle; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 3 but showing the throttle completely closed under the influence of the speedresponsive mechanism; Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2; Figjl is a horizontal section on the line 'l`-1 of Fig. 2; and Figs. 8 to 10 are detail views.v

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have indicated an "automobile engine I5 the manifold I6 of which has associated with it a. carburetor l1 of the down-draft type.

to the engine and which is mounted on a shaft I9. The throttle shaft projects through the wall of the mixture conduit of the carburetor and has secured to its outer end a control arm 20. The throttle-control arm 20, together with certain parts ofthe governing'mechanism presently to be described, isenclosed and protected by a casing 2lhaving a removable cover 2| which, in practice, will be sealed in place.

The manual control for the throttle is indicated in Fig. l as an accelerator pedal 22 connected through a lever 23 and rod 24 to a swinging arm 25 whichvis disposed within the casing 2| and mounted for swinging movement on a pivot 26. Also mounted on the pivot 26 is a second arm 21 which hasa lost-'motion connection with the arm 25. The nature of this connection is such that the arm 25 can swing the arm 21 in a throttle-opening direction but not in a throttle- The carburetor includes a throttle I8 which controls the supply of mixture closing direction. Conveniently, the connection is effected by providing the arm 21 with. an ear 28 which extends through the planeof the arm 25 on the counterclockwise side of such arm.

The arm 21 extends downwardly beyond the pivot 26 and is there pivotally connected by means of a pin 23 to the lower end of a floating member 30 the upper end of which is connected -to the throttle-operating arm 28. Conveniently this connection is effected by providing the arm 2D with a ball-end 3| which is received between spaced ears 32 and 33 on the iloating` member 38.

At a point intermediate its length, the 'oating member 30 is pivotally connected to a horizontally movable member 34 whose position is controlled by a power-operated device. Desirably, as indicated above, this device is in the form of a iluidpressure-responsivey element shown here as a diaphragm 35 disposed within a'casing 36. The space within the casing 36 and on the opposite side of the diaphragm 35 from the member 34 communicates with a passage 31 which is 'connected to the mixture-intake conduit of the engine at a point between the engine and the throttle I8. This passage, as will be more fully described later, is provided with a speed-responsive valve which opens the passage when the speed of the vehicle reaches or exceeds a predetermined maximum.

The member 34 is normally held outwardly of the casing 36, or to the left in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, by some yielding means, such as the tension spring 4I) shown in the drawings. In this position of the member 34, shown in Fig. 2, its axis of pivotal connection tothe floating member 30 may be substantially coincident with the axis of the pivot 26, but this is not esential. With the member 34 held to the left, the throttle I8 is under the control of the accelerator pedal 22. With the accelerator pedal elevated, the parts occupy the full-line positions shown in Fig. 2. Depression of the accelerator pedal draws the rod 24 to the left (Fig. 2) and causes the arm 26 to swing in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 26. Because ofthe presence of the ear 28, the arm 21 swings with the arm 2'5, its lower end moving to cause the iinating member 38 to swing in a counterclockwise direction about the axis of its pivotal connection to the member 34. As a result of this swinging movement of the floating member 38, the throttle is moved toward ing to close the throttle. As a result of the former eiort, the upper end of the arm'21 is brought into engagement with the side wall oi the casing 2 I as shown in Fig. 4; and thereafter the pivot pin 23 occupies a fixed position and acts as a fulcrum about which'the floating member 38 is swung by continued movement .of the member 34 to close the throttle. Because the connection between thearm 21 and the lever 25 permits the former to ber 45 is of magnetic material and is disposed Within a solenoid 41, the valve-body being guided for vertical movement by a tubular guide member 48. The upper end of the guide member 48 is closed, as by means of a plug 48 through which there extends a passage 58 connecting' the interior of the guide member `48 with atmosphere. An adjustable valve 5| in the passage 50 controls its effective area for a purpose to be described later.

The body of the valve member 45 ilts. rather loosely within the guide 48 to permit the passage open position. Upon complete depression of the accelerator pedal the parts occupy the dottedline positionshown in Fig.n2.

When pressure is removed from the accelerator pedal 22, a spring 42, vwhich conveniently acts between the lever 23 and some stationary point, raises the accelerator pedal, moves the rod 24 to the right, causes the arm 25 to swing in a.

clockwise direction, and'permits the throttle I8 to close. Closing of the throttle may be insured by making the ear 33 on the upper end of the ,floating member 38 long enough to be engaged by the adjacent end of the rod 24, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

of air. Mounted upon the upper end of the valve member 45 is a valve washer 52 positioned, when the valve member 45 is raised, to engage the lower end of the plug 49 and prevent air flow through the passage 50 therein.

In many automotive vehicles, notably trucks and tractors for semi-trailers, the intake manifold is provided with means for facilitating its connection to one or more vacuum lines leading to brake-operating mechanism or other vacuumoperated devices. Such means usually takes the form of a `block 55 interposed between the carburetor I1 and the intake manifold I6`and having one or more mixture-conveying passages 56 extending through it. Extending through the block 55 at oneside of the mixture passage 56 is another passage 51 which communicates with the passages 56 and the ends of which are adapted for connection to vacuum lines.

I rind it convenient to take advantage of the blo'ck 55 in mounting the governor and in connecting the casing 36 to the intake manifold. For this purpose, I may mount the casing 36 on a bracket 58 having at its rear a cylindrical ex-A tension 59 adapted to enter one end of the passage 51 in the block 55. The passage 31 is formed in the bracket 58 and extends axially through the vprojection ,58 to communicate with the passage 51, as is clear from Fig. 6. In addition to supporting the casing 36 the bracket 58 may also support the solenoid 41. Ii desired, the passage 31 may be provided with a valve 60 which controls the rate of exhaustion from the casing 36 when the valve 45 is opened.

Parts of the governor, other than the casing 33 and solenoid 41, may also be mounted on the block 55. To this end, the pivot 2'6 may be in the form of a screw-threaded stud mounted in the block 55 and extending through a portion of the casing 2i., as indicated in Fig. 5.

The speed-responsive mechanism, which controls opening and closing of the valve 45, is contveniently operated by the drive shaft 65 which be varied to control the vehicle speed at which vthe contact 81 engages the contact 86.

drives the conventional speedometer 65. As is clear from Fig. 8, this speed-responsive mecha nism comprises a casing 66' adapted at one end for attachment to the speedometer casing and at the other end for attachment tothe sheath with which the usual speedometer drive-shaft is enclosed. Mounted axially within the casing is a shaft 81 adapted at one end for connection to the speedometer mechanism and at the other for attachment to the speedometer drive-shaft.

Within the casing 66 there is mounted on the shaft 61 a cross-member 68 to the ends of which fly-weights 69 are pivoted. Fly-weights 69 are provided with inwardly extending arms engaging the end face 1| of a sleeve 12 which is slidable axially. on the shaft 61. Yielding means, such as the compression spring 13 acting between the sleeve 12 and a shoulder 14 on the shaft 61, serves to maintain the face 1| of the sleeve 12 in engagement with the arms 10 and therby to bias the fiy-weights 69 toward retracted position. For the purpose of preventing its rotation, the sleeve 12 is provided with an annular flange 15 notched as indicated at 16 for the reception of a finger 18. y'I'he finger 18 is carried by a slip ring 19 yieldingly mounted exteriorly of the casing 66 upon a central cylindrical boss 80 provided on a member 8| which closes the end of the casing 66. The finger 18 extends into the casing through an arcuate slot 82 in the closure 8|; and, as apresult, the angular position of the sleeve 12 about the axis of the casing 66 can be varied. The split spring ring 19 grips the boss 80 with suilicient force to prevent accidental displacement.

The face of the flange is formed with an arcuate rib 85 the outer face of which is helical, as is clear from Fig. 9. The closure 8| is desirably of insulating material and carries a fixed electrical contact 86 and a movable contact 81, the latter desirably taking the form of a strip of resilient material having one end secured to the closure 8| by a bolt 88 ,and its opposite end free to move into and out of engagement with the xed contact 86. Intermediate its ends, the movable contact 81 has an offset portion 89` engaging the arcuate rib 85 on the sleeve 12.

I The solenoid 41' is connected to a battery 95 or other source of electrical energy through the contacts 86 and 81, and desirably also through the ignition switch 96 of the automobile. As long as the speed of the vehicle is below that necessary to cause engagement of the contacts 86 and 81, the solenoid 41 is effectively defenergized, the valve member is-seated upon the valve seat 46 of its o wn weight, and the spring 40 holds the member 34 in the position illustrated in Fig. 2.

As previously described, the throttle is now under y the ycontrol of the accelerator pedal, which can move'it between closed (full-line) position land open (dotted-line) position.

As the speed of the vehicle increases, the flyweights 89 move outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force and displace the sleeve 12 to compress the spring 13. When displacement of the sleeve 12 under the innuenof the nyweights has become sufllcient to effect engage- .mentof the contacts 86 and 81, the solenoid 41 is To prevent excessive arcing between the contacts 86 and 81, I find it advantageous to connect across them a resistance 99, such resistance being Just sufficient to prevent the solenoid 41 from being effectively energized to raisev the valve 45 until the contacts 86 and 81 engage each other.

I find that a more gradual automatic control of throttle position can be effected if the speedresponsive device is arranged to permit vibratory movement of the movable contact 81. With this purpose in view, the free end of the contact 81 may be made relatively heavy so that it will tend to vibrate. If this is done, I find' that, without any special provision being made therefor, the contact 81 will vibrate. I prefer, however, to insure such vibration as by making the end face 1| of the sleeve 12 other than plane. As indicated in Fig. 9, the end face 1| can be formed with a diametrically extending ridge |00 which passes W beneath the ends of the inwardly extending arms energized and raises the valve member 45 to connect the interior of the casing 36 with the intake manifold I6. The resultant exhaustion of the casing 36 moves the member 34 to the right (Fig. 4) and closes the throttle as previously described. By rotating the split collar 19 on the boss 80 the angular position of the sleeve 12 and rib 85 may imposed. At low vehicle speeds, the rib on' the sleeve 12 will be out of engagement with the offset portion 89 on the movable contact 81, and the contacts 86 and 81 will be separated so that no speed-control is exercised. Under these conditions, the sleeve 12 will reciprocate rapidly through a short distance on the shaft 61 as a result of the presence of the ridge |00 in the end face 1|. As speed increases, the flange 85 approaches the movable contact 81 until a condition is eventually reached where the rib 85 intermittently engages the contact 81 and forces it, in turn, into intermittent engagement with the fixed contact 86. The resultant intermittent energiza tion of the solenoid 41 causes the valve member 45 'to vibrate on and off its valve seat 46. Dur" ing each interval in which the valve 45 is lifted from its seat 46, air will be exhausted from the casing 36 through the passage 31; but in the intervals between successive liftings of the valve 45, the passage 31 will be closed and some air will be `returned to the partially exhausted casing through the passage 50.

The ratio between the amount of air exhausted from the casing while the valve is momentarily lifted to the amount of air returned when the valve is momentarily closed will depend upon the settings of the two valves 5| and 60, upon the force exerted on the diaphragm 35 by the spring 40, and upon the relation between the duration of engagement and the duration of separation of the contacts 86 and 81. As long as this ratio is no greater than unity, the member 34 rwill be held in its normal position by the spring 40; but as the sleeve 12 moves to the rightv under the influence of increasing vehicle speed, the duration of each engagement of the contacts 86 and 81 increases and the duration of each separation of such cont-acts decreases until each increment of air exhausted exceeds each increment of air returned. Thereupon, the member 34 begins to move to the right, and the throttle begins to close.

AMovement of the member 34 to thenright increases the force which the spring 40 exerts on th diaphragm 35 and this, in turn, tends to op-v to control vehicle speed within the limits 'of onemoves i'ar enough to maintain continuous engagement between the contacts 8 6 and 81, the valve I5 remains'open, and the throttle is completely closed.

When the vehicle speed drops below that necessary to maintain the contacts 88 and 81 in continuous engagement, vibration of the contact 81 and intermittent de-energization of the solenoid "will again occur. Under the influence of this l5 intermittent de-energizationiof the solenoid the valve member 45 will intermittently engage the valve seat 46, and during the periods of such engagement air .will enter the passage 50 and flow along the sides of the valve member 45 into the gn casing 88 to permit the spring l0 to move the member 34 toward' its normal position. When vehicle speed drops to a point such that the movable contact 81 vibrates free of the contact 86, the solenoid will remain de-energized, the valve .L 45-46 will be closed, and the spring 40 will hold the member 34 in its normal position. y

The presence of the resistance 99 across vthe contacts 86 and 81 favors prompt response of the valve I5 to engagement and disengagement of 30 such contacts, since it decreases the? extent of current variations,y and therefore of inductive lag. By the throttle-controlling means described, a very effective control over vehicle speed is maintained. The imposition of the governing action 35 is gradual; and begins to occur slightly before the maximum vehicle speed is reached and gradually increases in effect as the vehicle speed approaches the maximum, when it becomes complete. This gradual imposition of the govern- 40 ing action eliminates hunting, or the tendency of vehicle speed to increase and decrease alternately through an appreciable range. I nd it readily possible through the use of my apparatus half mile per hour. That is, at the predetera mined maximum speed the throttle will be fully closed, at a speed one-half'mile per hour below the predetermined speed the throttle will be fully open, and at intermediate speeds the throttle will 53 occupy intermediate positions, such as that illustrated in Fig. 3.

It is to be noted that the ,first action which occurs when the casing 35 is exhausted is a counterclockwise swinging of the lever 31. In most 5.- carburetors, the throttle shaft has associated with it a light torsion spring (not shown) biasing the throttle toward closed position. AFrictional resistance to throttle opening, supplemented b v the action of such a spring when one is present, prevents rightward movement of the member 34 from closing the throttle until after the arm 21 has been moved to the limit of its counterclockwise movement. With the arm 21 in such position (Figs. 3 and 4), the throttle can not be 65 speed-responsive device is obtained as the result of the existence of a sub-atmospheric pressure in an intake passage.

`I claim as my invention:

l. A speed governor for an internalcombustion engine having a throttle valve in itsmixturesupply passage, said governor comprising a manually movable member, a pressure-responsive device, a iloating member connected at three spaced points to said throttle, said manually movable member, and said pressure-responsive device, a conduitconnecting said pressure-responsive device with said mixture-supply passage and joining the latter at a point between said throttle and the engine, a yvalve in said conduit, and speed-responsive mechanism for operating said valve, the connection between said floating memberand said manually movable member being a lost-motionv connection permitting said pressureesponsive device to move said floating member to close the throttle without displacing saidmanually movable member.v

2. A speed governor for an engine having a throttle valve in its mixture-supply passage, said i governor comprising a manually movable vmember, a power-operated motor, a iloating member connected at three spaced points to said throttle,

said manually movable member, and said motor,"

and speed-responsive mechanism for controlling operation of said motor, the connection between said floating member and said manually movable member being a lost-motion connection perl mitting said motor to move said floating member to close the throttle without displacing said manually movable member. f 3. In a speed-governor for an internal combustion engine having a throttle in its mixture-y supply passage, a pressure-responsive device operative when exhausted to move said throttle toward closed position, a conduit for exhausting said pressure-responsive device, said conduit being connected to said passage at a point between said throttle and the engine, a valve normally operative to close said'passage and connect said pressure-responsive device to atmosphere, electromagnetic means operative when energized to move said valve to open said passage and close the connection of said pressure-responsive device to atmosphere, a vibratory electrical contact, a second contact disposed to be engaged by said vibratory contact in its vibration, a source of current connected to said electromagnetic means through said contacts, and speed-responsive mechanism for controlling the relative durations o of engagement and disengagement of said contacts.

4. In a speed-governor for an engine having a throttle, a pressure-responsive element operative when exhausted to move said throttle toward closed position, means for withdrawing air from said element in increments and for permitting air to return to said element in the intervals between the withdrawal of successive increments, provisions for regulating the rate of air-return during such intervals, and speed-responsive means for controlling the duration and spacing of such intervals.

5. In a speed-governor for an engine having a throttle, a pressure-responsive element operative when exhausted to move said throttle toward closed position, means for withdrawing air from said element in increments and for permitting air to return to said element in the intervals b etween the withdrawal of successive increments,

'in the opposite direction when said motor is inoperative, valve means controlling operation of said motor, mechanism actuating said valve means .to render said motor alternately operative and inoperative, and a speed-responsive device controlling ",aid mechanism to vary the relation between the duration of each period in which the motor is operative and the duration of each period in which the motor is inoperative.

7. In a speed-governor for an engine having a throttle, a duid-pressure motor acting when operative to move said throttle in one direction, yielding means for moving said throttle in the opposite direction when said motor is inoperative, valve means controlling operation of said motor, mechanism actuating said valve means to render said motor alternately operative and inoperative, and a speed-responsive device controlling said mechanism to vary the relation between the duration of each period in which the motor is operative and the duration of each period in which the motor is inoperative.

8. In a speed governor, a movable speed-controlling member, a fluid-pressure motor acting when operative to move said speed-controlling member, yielding means for moving said speed,

, 5 controlling member in the opposite direction when said motor is inoperative, valve means controlling operation ci said motor, mechanism actuating said valve means to render said motor alternately operative and inoperative, and aA speed-responsive device controlling said mechanism to vary the relation betweenv the duration of each period in which the motor is operative and the duration of each period in which the motor is inoperative.

9. In a speed governor, a movable speed-controlling member, a motor acting when operative to move said member in one direction, melans for moving said member in the opposite direction when said motor is inoperative, mechanism for rendering said motor alternately operative and inoperative,.and a speed-responsive device controlling said mechanism to vary the relation between the duration of each period in which the motor is operative and the duration of each period in which the motor is inoperative.

10. In a speed-governor for an engine having a throttle, a lever for operating said throttle, a movable fulcrum for said lever, a xed abutment for limiting movement of said fulcrum in one direction, a movable abutment for limiting move- Iment of said fulcrum in the opposite direction, speed-responsive means for swinging said lever about said fulcrum to control said throttle, and

manually operated means for moving said movable abutment.

, JARL M. WEYDELL. 

